California Injury Blog
A 22-year-old motorcyclist who is completely disabled after he was struck by a drunk driver will receive a $704,649 settlement from the insurer for an Indiana bar where the drunk driver that caused the accident had been drinking, according to an article published in the Journal and Courier newspaper.
Christopher Harmon is said to be in a “waking coma” after he suffered a severe brain injury in the Sept. 2, 2004 crash. According to the newspaper article, his parents quit their full-time jobs, sold their home and bought a house in Indiana just to take care of their son. The parents accepted the settlement from Jake’s Roadhouse bar’s insurer in return for releasing the bar from further liability.
According to a civil tort claim filed by the Harmons on their son’s behalf, 24-year-old Nicole Fox who had been drinking at Jake’s caused three oncoming motorcyclists to crash with her erratic driving. Fox’s blood alcohol level was 0.23 percent – almost three times the legal limit for driving in Indiana, which is 0.08 percent. Harmon suffered brain injuries while another 47-year-old man, Jerome E. Raiff lost part of his left arm and leg.
Harmon is still unable to move his body and communicates only by blinking his eyes. The article states that he has years of extensive and painful physical rehabilitation ahead of him.
My heart goes out to Christopher and I wish him the best in his recovery process. Christopher’s parents are saints in my book and models for us all about commitment, caring and selflessness. I’ll keep you all in my prayers and best wishes.
We’ve had some remarkable clients who have suffered either traumatic brain injuries or severe paralysis who, with determination, tenacity and faith, have made remarkable, almost miraculous recoveries. I would hope the same for this young man in Indiana. The process, however, is hellish to say the least. I cannot imagine what the Harmons must be going through in terms of financial, physical and emotional challenges. This settlement hardly compensates for all that.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, please call me, John Bisnar of Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, to find out more about your legal options. 1-800-259-6373.
Here are some resources if you would like to learn more about brain injuries:
Brain Injury Association USA: www.biausa.org
Brain Injury Resource Center: www.tbiguide.com
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/TBI.htm